A unanimous City Council in
October, 1997, created the city’s first
protected historic district.

The historic district is a 2.127-square-mile area encompassing North, South, West and East streets – the original boundaries
of the colony settled by German winemakers in 1857. An estimated 21,000 residents live in the area, according to a 1990 census
data, the latest one available.

Proponents hope the district will instill community pride, attract businesses to the city’s downtown and increase property values.

About 900 buildings, with architectural styles ranging from Victorian, Spanish and Dutch colonial to Tudor revival among
others, stand to benefit from guidelines.

The guidelines, however, are voluntary.

Property owners still have the right to make changes but are required to meet with city historic planners to learn about the
building’s past and how the architectural character of the building can be preserved.

The creation of the historic district culminates the efforts of a group of about 15 volunteers, including old-time residents,
property owners and history preservationists, who joined forces to save what’s left from Anaheim’s rich architectural past.

“The Anaheim Colony Historic District will bring more people back to the area so they can see this is a nice community with
historic value,” said Micky Caldwell, one of the volunteers.

SIDEBAR OTHER HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN ANAHEIM:

The following areas are not protected by the city’s ordinance creating the Anaheim Colony Historic District.

Melrose-Backs District: Neighborhood of six historic homes on Adele and Philadelphia streets. Richard Melrose was one of
the organizers of the wine-making colony formed by German immigrants in 1857. Ferdinand and Joseph Backs owned the first
furniture store and undertaking business.

Kroger-Melrose District: Neighborhood of homes built between 1900 and 1915 that includes Craftsman and California
bungalows and Queen Anne cottages. The city’s most intact unit of historic homes, bounded by Lincoln Avenue, South Kroeger
Street, West Broadway and South Philadelphia Street.

Anaheim’s “Petting zoo:” The city moved some of its most important and historic homes to a street renamed “Vintage Lane”
to keep them from the bulldozer. This street, on a cul-de-sac off Lincoln Avenue, is known in the preservation business as a
“petting zoo.”